Study: 66 Percent of Small Businesses Worldwide Have Faced Cyberattacks in The Past Year

Study: 66 Percent of Small Businesses Worldwide Have Faced Cyberattacks in The Past Year

For the third year in a row, SMBs are reporting big increases in the frequency of cybersecurity attacks.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Oct 11, 2019

Hackers are increasingly targeting small businesses in the U.S. and around the globe, according to a new study that surveyed over 2,300 participants in the IT and cybersecurity industries. 

For the third year in a row, small and medium-sized businesses are reporting a “significant increase” in cybersecurity attacks, according to the research published by the Ponemon Institute and Keeper Security. Sixty-six percent of SMBs globally have reported a cyber incident in the past 12 months. 

In the U.S., 69 percent of organizations surveyed reported the loss of sensitive corporate or customer information in the past year. That’s a 19 percent increase from four years ago, according to ZDNet. 

But while companies are becoming increasingly aware of cyber threats, particularly in the face of high-impact ransomware attacks on businesses and governments, many of the people surveyed said they were not confident in their organization’s ability to respond to the incidents. 

Forty-five percent of respondents said that the IT posture of their workplace is “ineffective,” and another 39 percent claimed there was no form of “incident response” in place to deal with breaches. 

The main threats continue to be phishing attacks, compromised devices used by employees, and credential theft, ZDNet reported. None of the findings are shocking to cybersecurity professionals who have been warning of the potential drawbacks of IoT devices, especially as more workplaces ask their employees to bring their own laptops to work. 

Nearly 50 percent of respondents said they use business-critical applications from devices outside of the workplace. Despite the participants acknowledging that this practice potentially puts their business security at risk, the use of outside devices to complete work does not look like it will fade any time soon. 

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    Perimeter Security Standards for Multi-Site Businesses

    When you run or own a business that has multiple locations, it is important to set clear perimeter security standards. By doing this, it allows you to assess and mitigate any potential threats or risks at each site or location efficiently and effectively. Read Now

  • New Research Shows a Continuing Increase in Ransomware Victims

    GuidePoint Security recently announced the release of GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team’s (GRIT) Q1 2024 Ransomware Report. In addition to revealing a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in the number of ransomware victims, the GRIT Q1 2024 Ransomware Report observes major shifts in the behavioral patterns of ransomware groups following law enforcement activity – including the continued targeting of previously “off-limits” organizations and industries, such as emergency hospitals. Read Now

  • OpenAI's GPT-4 Is Capable of Autonomously Exploiting Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

    According to a new study from four computer scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, OpenAI’s paid chatbot, GPT-4, is capable of autonomously exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities without any human assistance. Read Now

  • Getting in Someone’s Face

    There was a time, not so long ago, when the tradeshow industry must have thought COVID-19 might wipe out face-to-face meetings. It sure seemed that way about three years ago. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3